Sarah Mitchell
Eastern Catholics observe a period of fasting and abstinence during the Lenten season, which begins on Clean Monday and ends on Holy Saturday. This period is marked by strict abstinence from meat and dairy products, with fish with a backbone also considered meat. In the weeks leading up to Lent, Eastern Catholics gradually prepare for the Great Fast by eliminating meat and dairy products from their diets. During Lent, they may also adopt non-dietary forms of abstinence, such as giving up text messaging or social media. While the actual canonical obligations of Eastern Catholics are more lenient than those of their Orthodox counterparts, some choose to follow the stricter rules. Overall, the practice of fasting and abstinence in the Eastern Catholic Church is a unique tradition that encourages spiritual growth and prepares the soul for what is to come.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| How often Eastern Catholics fast | Every Wednesday and Friday of the year, not just Lent. From 12 am-12 pm, there is no food or water, and no meat or dairy for the whole day. |
| During Lent, they fast every day except Sunday, when they only fast until after the Eucharist. | |
| On Sundays, they fast before taking the Eucharist. | |
| They also fast during the two weeks before Lent, known as "Meatfare" and "Cheesefare" or "Forgiveness" Sunday. | |
| During the Lenten season, they abstain from meat and dairy products. | |
| They are obliged to follow the discipline of their own particular church. | |
| Types of fasting | Devotional fasting is done out of free will and not obligation. |
| Traditional days for devotional fasting include every Friday of the year, the whole of Lent, and the eve of great feast days. | |
| Traditional Catholic fasting includes abstaining on Fridays year-round. | |
| During Lent, they abstain and fast. | |
| They also observe the Eucharistic Fast, which involves taking nothing but water or medicine into the body for one hour before receiving the Eucharist. | |
| Abstaining and fasting on Rogation days (April 25 and the Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday before Ascension Thursday). | |
| Abstaining and fasting on Ember Days (a Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday that happen four times a year). |
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What You'll Learn
Eastern Catholics fast during the 'Great Lent'
Eastern Catholics observe the Great Lent, also known as the Great Fast, a period of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving before the celebration of the Resurrection. This period of approximately six weeks is observed continuously without interruption for 40 days, starting on Clean Monday and ending on Lazarus Saturday before Holy Week.
Eastern Catholics do not abruptly begin fasting and abstaining from certain foods. Instead, they gradually transition into the Great Fast with "Meatfare" and "Cheesefare" weeks. By Meatfare Sunday, one week before Lent, they have eliminated meat products from their diets. They then clear all egg and dairy products by Cheesefare Sunday, preparing for the Great Fast that evening after Forgiveness Vespers.
During the Great Lent, Eastern Catholics may intensify their prayers and spiritual exercises, attend church services more frequently, and delve deeper into the Scriptures and the works of the Church Fathers. They may also limit their entertainment and spending, focusing instead on charity and good works. Fasting in the Eastern Catholic tradition involves abstaining from all animal products, including eggs, fish, fowl, and milk, resulting in vegetarian or vegan meals throughout Lent.
The extent of fasting and abstinence during the Great Lent varies among Eastern Catholics, with stricter practices observed by monks and nuns. While some strive to follow the rigorous rules of their Orthodox counterparts, the actual canonical obligations of Eastern Catholics are generally more lenient. The specific traditions and disciplines followed during Great Lent can differ among the autonomous Eastern Catholic Churches and their particular rites, such as the Byzantine Rite.
Eastern Catholics do not celebrate Ash Wednesday, as it is a custom that developed in the Christian West. Instead, they mark the beginning of the Great Lent with Clean Monday, symbolically cleansing their pantries and hearts of non-fasting foods and sins.
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Meat and dairy abstinence
In the weeks leading up to Lent, Eastern Catholics prepare themselves with Meatfare Sunday, the last week to eat meat, and Cheesefare Sunday, or Forgiveness Sunday, the last day to consume dairy products. The next day is Clean Monday, the first day of the Great Fast.
During the rest of Lent, Eastern Catholics abstain from meat and dairy on Wednesdays and Fridays. However, meat and dairy are allowed for the celebration of the Annunciation, when the Divine Liturgy is celebrated.
Abstinence from meat is also required on Fridays throughout the year, and on Ember Days, which are Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays that occur four times a year. The Ember Fridays in September and Advent are obligatory days of abstinence.
In addition to these requirements, some Eastern Catholics choose to fast devotionally, which is done of their own free will rather than obligation. This may include fasting every Friday of the year, the whole of Lent, and the eve of great feast days.
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Devotional fasting
Eastern Catholics, including Byzantine and Maronite Catholics, have a unique approach to Lent, with specific rituals and practices. They begin their Lenten fast two days earlier than their Latin or Western Rite counterparts, starting on a Monday, which is known as "Clean Monday". This day marks the beginning of the “Great Fast”, a period of strict abstinence from meat and dairy products.
In the weeks leading up to Lent, Eastern Catholics prepare themselves both physically and spiritually. They observe “Meatfare Sunday”, the last week they consume meat, and “Cheesefare Sunday”, or "Forgiveness Sunday", the final day they eat dairy products. During this time, they gradually reduce their intake of meat and dairy, emptying themselves of indulgences that tie them down.
Throughout the Lenten season, Eastern Catholics abstain from meat and dairy, with particular emphasis on Wednesdays and Fridays as meatless days. This abstinence is not limited to food; they are encouraged to give up indulgences, such as expensive meals, and instead donate that money to the poor. This act of charity is an essential aspect of their Lenten devotion, teaching them to withdraw from sin and progress toward greater holiness.
The specifics of fasting can vary within the Eastern Catholic community. For example, Maronite Catholics observe a strict fast from 12 am to 12 pm every Wednesday and Friday, refraining from food and water during this time and abstaining from meat and dairy for the entire day. During Lent, they extend this practice to every day except Sunday, when they fast only until after receiving the Eucharist.
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Fasting requirements
Great Lent
Eastern Catholics prepare for Great Lent by gradually eliminating certain food groups from their diets. Meatfare Sunday marks the last week to eat meat, followed by Cheesefare Sunday or Forgiveness Sunday, the last day to consume egg and dairy products before the Great Fast. Great Lent begins on Clean Monday, during which strict abstinence is observed, and no meat or dairy products are consumed.
Lent
During Lent, Eastern Catholics abstain from meat and dairy products. They may also fast from midnight to midnight every Wednesday and Friday throughout the year, not just during Lent. On these days, no food or water is consumed, and no meat or dairy is eaten for the entire day. On Sundays, fasting is observed before taking the Eucharist, and those attending Sunday evening liturgies should fast for 1-3 hours beforehand.
Other Fasting Days
In addition to Lent, traditional fasting days include Fridays throughout the year and the eve of great feast days. Ember Days, which occur four times a year on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, are also considered fasting days. However, the specific Ember Fridays for obligatory abstinence are in September and Advent.
Eucharistic Fast
Eastern Catholics are also required to observe the Eucharistic Fast, which involves abstaining from all food and drink except water and medicine for one hour before receiving the Eucharist.
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Lenten differences between Eastern and Western Rites
The Lenten season is a period of fasting and abstinence for both Eastern and Western Rites. However, there are some differences in how these are practised.
In the Western Rite, Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, whereas in the Eastern Rite, it starts two days earlier on the Monday before. This difference arose due to a shift in the date of catechumen baptisms, which were originally held on Holy Saturday by both rites, but later moved to the Saturday before Palm Sunday by the Eastern Church.
Another distinction is the number of fast days. While both rites traditionally fast for 40 days, Eastern Catholics also have Meatfare Sunday and Cheesefare Sunday, or Forgiveness Sunday, in the two weeks before Lent, during which they stop consuming meat and dairy products, respectively. This period helps Eastern Catholics gradually prepare for the Great Fast, which begins on Clean Monday, the first day of Lent. During Lent, they abstain from meat and dairy, including fish with a backbone, on Wednesdays and Fridays, with some choosing to fast every day except Sunday. In contrast, Latin-rite Catholics perceive Eastern Catholic fasting practices as particularly strict.
There are also differences in the types of abstinence. Father Mendoza, a Byzantine Catholic priest, noted that Eastern Catholics do not adopt the notion of substituting abstinence, such as giving up television, with meat consumption. Instead, they emphasise giving up luxuries like steak and donating the money saved to the poor. Additionally, non-dietary forms of abstinence during Lent have been encouraged in some Western countries, such as giving up text messaging.
The Lenten differences between the Eastern and Western Rites reflect their unique traditions and interpretations of fasting and abstinence, shaping the ways in which they observe this sacred period.
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Frequently asked questions
Eastern Catholics are obliged to follow the discipline of their own particular church. While fasting rules vary, there are some commonalities. For instance, during the two weeks before Lent, chief readings are already preparing Eastern Catholics for the fast. The week before Lent is "Meatfare" Sunday, the last week to eat meat, followed by Cheesefare Sunday, the last week to consume dairy products. The next day is Clean Monday, the first day of the Great Lent and the first day of the Great Fast. During Lent, Eastern Catholics abstain from meat and dairy products.
On the days of mandatory fasting, Catholics may eat only one full meal during the day, along with two smaller meals, or "collations".
Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, and Ember Days are obligatory days of fasting and abstinence for Catholics. Fridays during Lent are obligatory days of abstinence.
Abstaining from food means not eating meat, eggs, oil, fats, and broths made from meat.
Fasting refers to eating only one meal a day, whereas abstinence refers to not eating certain types of food.
